With a stellar cast of great British Handelian soloists, Harry Christophers and The Sixteen return to the Barbican to perform what turned out to be Handel’s last oratorio. In Christophers’ opinion it is in many ways his finest and most profound, specifically for its incredible use of the chorus and also for its insight into the characters involved. As always Handel’s genius shines through in his portrayal of the characters. What concerns him is not so much Jephtha’s sins, but his suffering, and right from the outset it is about our total subservience to destiny – the first words uttered are 'It must be so'. The simplicity of that utterance is tantamount to Handel’s skill as a dramatist.